AG 1997 10 20 - Laserfiche WebLink

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EXISTING CONDITIONS CURRENT LAND USE - OVERVIEW It is important to understand the past and current development of an area to properly study its future. More detailed discussions on particular categories of land use will follow, but a general overview is necessary to see trends and patterns in the area. It is worth noting that old Midland was a true railroad community. There was a depot along the tracks and a town laid out in a grid pattern, with streets and alleys, extending away fi.om the rail. It had a commemial core surrounded with residences. The old Midland area was connected to the 1929 high school by Bethel School road and a second residential area was laid out along the rail at Cabarrus Station (See Map 2). Like old Midland, there is little evidence other than old property records and right-of- ways of the grid plan. The focus, or center, of the Midland community is now the crossroads of NC 24/27 and US 601. Traditionally the center of the community was along the railroad in old Midland. This focus changed with the move from rail to road transportation, and the improvement of NC 24/27 should only reinforce the change. The area around the crossroads is the main service and employment node, although the area along US ~601 south of old Midland is becoming a major employment node, offering a variety of manufacturing businesses. Along US 601 and NC 24/27 are a number of businesses intermixed with residences. The most concentrated of these are the area of US 601 at Bethel School Road and NC 24/27 at Flowes Store Road. Another employment node is old Midland, which is the location of a mill and a feed and seed store. These are remnants of the old industrial-rail related activity. The remainder of the planning area 'contains scattered residences with a few businesses